UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is a large U.S. health insurance company with about 70 million customers. Brands include AmeriChoice (manages various Medicare and Medicaid options), Ovations (specializes in people aged 50+), UnitedHealth Group International (in Europe, Latin America, and Asia), and UnitedHealthcare (consumer-oriented health benefit plans).

Top competitors are Aetna, Blue Cross, and WellPoint. In 2006, UnitedHealth had revenues of US$71.5 billion with profits of US$4.1 billion.

Corporate mobilization of employees
In August, 2009, as the country was debating a Democratically proposed health reform bill, UnitedHealth Group sent out a letter to its employees urging them to call the company's "United for Health Reform Advocacy Hotline" to speak with an advocacy specialist about health care reform. According to the letter, the advocacy specialist would help UHG employees write "personalized messages" to elected officials, and arm them with talking points to use at local events to help them better oppose the public health insurance option. The letter also said the specialist would assist employees with finding and attending town hall meetings about health care reform. The letter directed employees to a Web site, www. unitedforhealthreform.com/events.

Corporate mobilization of employees in a way that gives the appearance of a "grassroots uprising" against proposed legislation was a tactic used by Philip Morris in the 1990s to oppose U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco.

Ad boycott against Air America Radio
United Healthcare refused to advertise on the progressive Air America Radio. In October 2006, around 90 companies, including United Healthcare, told ABC Radio Networks that they did not want their ads to play on radio stations that carried Air America Radio.

CEO William W. McGuire removed in stock scandal
In 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, and prosecutors in the U.S. attorney's office in New York began investigating the conduct of UnitedHealth Group's leadership for backdating stock options. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealth Group was removed from office. The Washington Post said of McGuire, "his greed in amassing $1.1 billion in stock options plus a pension of $5.1 million a year is matched only by the revelation that the board member who chaired the compensation committee had conflicts of interest."

Political contributions
UnitedHealth Group gave $336,000 to federal candidates in the 2006 election through its political action committee - 39% to Democrats and 60% to Republicans.

Lobbying
The company spent $2,534,000 for lobbying in the first half of 2007. Some of the lobbying firms used were Barbour, Griffith and Rogers, Wexler and Walker Public Policy Associates, Dutko Worldwide, and Ogilvy Government Relations.

Personnel
Key people and 2006 pay:
 * Richard T. Burke, Sr., Chairman
 * Stephen J. Hemsley, Chief Executive Officer and Director, $15,549,028
 * G. Mike Mikan, Chief Financial Officer

Selected members of the Board of Directors:
 * James A. Johnson, Vice Chairman, Perseus LLC
 * Thomas H. Kean, Former Governor of New Jersey
 * Douglas W. Leatherdale, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The St. Paul Companies, Inc.

Contact details
9900 Bren Road East Minnetonka, MN 55343 Phone: 952-936-1300 Fax: 952-936-7430 Web: http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com